Apparatus for receiving and transmitting data via a satellite using at least two polarisations

Abstract

Apparatus is for reception and transmission of data signals at one or more user locations. The data signals are received from and transmitted to remote locations typically via a satellite or cell phone transmission system. The operating condition of the apparatus at the user location is selectively adaptable such as to take into account the particular format in which the data signals are received or are to be transmitted to thereby allow the apparatus to be used in different locations and adapted for use at the time of installation or at a time after installation with no, or minimal, intervention or skilled technical personnel attendance being required at the user location to allow the operation of the apparatus to be adapted.

Claims

1. Apparatus for receiving and processing a plurality of data signals at a user location, said apparatus comprising: a waveguide for receiving data signals and data processing means for processing data signals received by the same from one or more remote locations at one or more frequencies within a predetermined frequency range, said data processing means operable to process data signals received within the predetermined frequency range in circular and/or linear polarity format, and wherein the apparatus at the user location is operable to transmit data in at least one of the circular and/or linear polarity formats from the user location to one or more remote locations and an operating condition of the apparatus is selectively adaptable remotely from the user location.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the data signals which are received are received over any or any combination of bandwidths or overlapping bandwidths in one or a combination of circular and/or linear plurality formats and the lowest frequency and highest frequency value determines the predetermined frequency range.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more remote locations to which data signals are transmitted may be the same or different to the remote locations from which the data signals are received.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus is included as part of a satellite broadcast system or a cell phone system.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the data processing means are provided as part of a low noise block with a waveguide and the low noise block includes one or more intermediate frequency data outlets from each of which the received data signals within the predetermined frequency range can be transferred to a broadcast data receiver.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the data signals transferred to each connected broadcast data receiver at a given time is selected in response to a user selection made on each of respective broadcast data receivers independently.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes selection means to allow the apparatus to be controlled to accept processing and transmission of data signals received in the linear and/or circular polarity formats.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein transmission of data signals is achieved via data processing means including an upconverter which generates two data paths, with each path being connected to a probe which depends inwardly to the waveguide of the low noise block and along a channel of which the data signals pass to be emitted from an open end of the channel and onwardly transmitted to the one or more remote locations.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the data signals are provided to the upconverter as separate in line and quadrature data feeds.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein data signals in respective data paths are controlled with respect to relative phases to control required right-hand and left-hand circular polarity formats to be controlled.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein when the data signals on respective data paths reach the waveguide probes, the data signals are 90 degrees out of phase with matched amplitudes and substantially equal power.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein output power is achieved by a sum of output of respective power amplifier devices provided along respective data paths intermediate the upconverter and the probes, less any combining power loss.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a combiner for two data paths and an upconverter controls combining of the data signals from the data paths.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a frequency range at which the data signals are transmitted from the apparatus is offset to the predetermined frequency range of the data signals received and processed by the apparatus.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein values of the frequencies of the frequency range for the transmission of the data signals are greater than the values of the frequencies of the frequency range for the receipt of the data signals.

Description

[0021] Specific embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings; wherein

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates in a schematic manner apparatus for use as part of a satellite data system;

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the data paths for receiving data from a satellite transmission system; and

[0024] FIGS. 3a-b illustrate an embodiment of the apparatus and data paths for the transmission of the data from the apparatus in accordance with the invention.

[0025] Referring firstly to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a data receiving and transmission system in accordance with the invention at a user or customer premises 2. The apparatus includes an antenna 4 mounted externally of the premises and includes an LNB 6 including a waveguide provided as part thereof and the assembly is mounted on an arm 8. The antenna 4 and LNB 6 are provided and located to receive data signals which are transmitted from one or a series of broadcasters at respective remote locations and transmitted via satellite to a number of user premises 2. The LNB 6 is connected to process and pass the received data signals to, in this embodiment, a series of broadcast data receivers 10, 12, 14 provided within the premises, typically in different rooms 15, 17, 19 as indicated. Each of the BDRs is provided to allow user interaction independently so that, for example, the user of each of the respective BDR's can select a particular television programme which they wish to be generated from the received data. Upon the user selection, a signal is transmitted from the particular BDR to the LNB 6 to allow the data, or a block of data in which the required data is located, for the selected programme to be provided to the appropriate BDR for processing and generation of the video and/or audio to allow the programme to be generated to the user, typically via connected display screen and speakers 16. In accordance with the invention, the apparatus is also provided with the ability to allow the transmission of data from the broadcast data receivers and/or the LNB to a remote location, such as one or more of the broadcaster locations or a different location at which a system provider or maintainer is located so as to allow indications to be provided as to the status and mode of operation of the apparatus at the premises 2. This therefore avoids the need for a physical inspection of the apparatus to be made at the said premises location 2.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated an embodiment of the data processing apparatus of the LNB and, in particular the data paths and components provided in the LNB in accordance with the invention and along which received data signals from the waveguide pass.

[0027] The received data signals which are reflected from the satellite antenna 4 enter the waveguide and then the LNB in the direction of arrow 20, and the data processing means of the LNB receive the data signals which are in the predetermined frequency range with the data signals being split 22 into two data paths 24, 26 at a 90° phase difference. It should be appreciated that all of the received data is treated in the same way and passes along the two data paths 24, 26 until it reaches respective LNA pair 28, 30 which are phase and amplitude balanced.

[0028] Each of the data paths 24, 26 are then split into two data routes 32a, 32b; 34a and 34b respectively, using power dividers 36, 38. The two data paths 32a and 34a are configured to allow the processing of data signals received in a linear plurality format and the data paths 32b, 34b are configured to allow the correct processing of data which is received in the circular plurality format and pass the data signals to a 3 dB hybrid 40 and onwards to one of a pair of LNAs 42, 44 respectively.

[0029] Each of the data paths 32a, 32b, 34a and 34b pass the data to a respective mixer 46 and intermediate frequency amplifier 48 from where the data signals are accessible to all of the data connections 50 so that a BDR at the premises can each be connected to a data connection 50 and receive all of the available data signals.

[0030] Thus for each data path, for example data path 24, the received data signal is split into two data paths 32a and 32b and the data which passes along the route 32a is processed as if it is all in a linear plurality format and therefore that which is in a linear plurality format will be processed correctly and that data which is not, will not be processed. In data path 32b the data is processed as if it is all in a circular polarity format in which case that data which is in a circular polarity format is processed correctly and the linear polarity format data is not, and this is repeated for the data paths 34a and 34b such that the linear polarity format data is available from the outputs of data paths 32a and 34a and the circular polarity data is available from the outputs of the paths 32b and 34b.

[0031] In accordance with FIGS. 3a and b the apparatus of this type includes, possibly separately, but most typically in combination with the receiving apparatus as previously described, the ability to transmit data signals to a remote location using data which travels through the apparatus in the direction 52. The data signals which are to be transmitted is provided as separate I and Q feeds to the data processing means 54 of the LNB 6 via the connection 56 to allow data signals to be passed thereto from a connected BDR. The data signals from the transmission data processing means 54, then enter the waveguide 58 of the LNB 6 via probes 60, 62 which depend into the waveguide channel with the probes angularly offset and provided at different positions along the waveguide channel.

[0032] The data processing means 54 are located intermediate the BDR connection 56 and the waveguide 58 and the data processing means include components in the form of an upconverter 66 which passes the data signals in the I and Q feeds to be transmitted, from the BDR connection 56 along respective paths 68, 70 at 90 degrees out of phase, to hybrid 72 and then along respective data paths 74, 76 to respective power amplifiers 78, 80 and from which the data then passes in the circular polarity format and at 90 degrees out of phase along paths 82, 84 to the probes, 60, 62 respectively at location 64 to then enter the waveguide channel 58 and pass along the same to the opening and then transmitted therefrom as indicated by arrow 52 to one or more remote locations.

[0033] There is therefore provided apparatus in accordance with the invention which allows the transmission as well as reception of data signals in linear and circular plurality formats without the need for a polariser apparatus to be provided, and to avoid the conventional requirement of physical intervention to switch between linear and circular polarity operating modes of the apparatus and, instead allow the change to be performed on site at the time of installation or subsequently and to be achieved “on the fly” and remotely.

[0034] Typically the change in operating mode can be achieved by the sending of a change signal to a modem provided as part of the BDR or within the system at the premises 2 and this change and the type of change can be determined with respect to the known location of the premises 2 at which the apparatus is provided, such as through the use of a GPS location detection system, the transmission of a signal indicating the map coordinates of the location of the apparatus and/or electronic configuration by the operator of the apparatus. As such the same system and method can be used with regard to other electronic devices such as cellular phones in order to allow the change o operating mode of the same to be achieved remotely and with respect to the know n geographical location of the same, and the operating requirements for the apparatus at that location.